MLS CLOSE TO DEAL WHICH WOULD SEE UP TO 12 GAMES ON ABC

MLS' "pending" TV deal will see the ABC/ESPN "combo
paying a rights fee for around 60 games, 12 of which will be
on ABC next year," network sources told Terry Lefton of
BRANDWEEK. The league's first TV arrangement with ABC/ESPN
"were via a time-buy arrangement, produced by MLS and
packaged with media buys from MLS sponsors." Lefton: "Other
than the benefits to MLS of sheer on-air time, a truer media
partnership gives ABC incentive to promote MLS and gives MLS
more inventory to offer potential corporate sponsors." The
deal is "expected to be wrapped up within a month." In
other news, the league is expected to hold a "'spring
training' of sorts for all teams" at Walt Disney's Sports
Complex and will also implement a "fan balloting element" to
the '98 All-Star game, "which will likely be sponsored by a
large" mass-merchant retailer (BRANDWEEK, 9/22 issue).